Most Wanted, Part One
'Tyrants Issue 12 "Most Wanted." (Part One.) ' 'Front cover- '''American Kestrel flies at the reader, wings spread from his arms, morphed into pure fire. The issue opens with Rook sat at his desk, both hands upon it, garbed in his mask. "You failed", he says quite simply. The comic cuts to the other side of the desk, where Inquisitorm, Texas Holdem and American Kestrel sit. Inquisitor sits upright and astute, Kestrel leans back in his chair with arms folded, whilst Holdem lounges in a more relaxed manner, a hand drumming upon his leg. "We did not. I have your information." Inquisitor taps his head. "Lets review shall we", Rook turns to a computer on his desk and types into it. "According to several German news agencies, you not only hospitilised Miss Adler..." The comic cuts to show a panel of Leonie heavily bandaged all over her human body in a hospital bed, just a torso, head and arms, her cybernetic legs nowhere to be seen, as she lies unconscious, with Samson Slater sat next to her, clutching her right hand. The comic flashes back to where she was knocked unconcious mid-leap as a herd of buffalo by Skyscraper, and then crashes to the floor, the old man with her, Hans, being crushed by the fall. "You also have forgone my orders against killing, and killed two of Miss Adler's associates"... the comic cuts to the show the other man, trampled to death, carried out into ambulance "One being a rather well known cameraman in the media, having captured many photographs of the exotic creatures found by Miss Adler, and the other, quite a well known German television survival expert before joining Miss Adler several years ago. Oh, and not forgetting, that due to the abandonment of a majority of your team, the GSPD now has them in their capture." Rook stands up and looks out of the window. "I was captured by the GSPD a view years back, and after having lived with some anonymity and unaccountability for many, many centuries, they trawled my mind, and that advantage was taken away from me." He puts one hand on the desk very decisively, in front of Inquisitor. "I know, from both your powers, and the moniker you have given yourself, Inquisitor, that you understand the results of this. The GSPD likely had believed me still in Titan City, I think, but now, that final advantage is lost to me. And, if they can search my mind, then one assumes that Skyscraper and Grapplor may also succumb to this treatment. Well, thats if Grapplor is considered in a state to be... questioned, since you also left him paralysed from the neck down, according to reports." The comic cuts to show where Grapplor was holding onto one of Horde's buffalo forms as they fell, lost his grip, and landed on his back. "As far Viral, he has not been found by authorities, but, due to the fact that he only possesed the CCTV system and did not think to tamper with it, they know that he is involved. Of course, if they don't find him, he will likely considerably angry and likely gunning for both of us. So yes, you completed your objective... but hardly with flying colours." "But I did not fail. My leadership did not fail. Viral killed one man, I believe, through disregard other than intention." Inquisitor, no stranger to intimidation, stands as he speaks, 'looking' levelly at Rook, despite his lack of eyes under his blindfold. "I do not know of the other's death, but again, it was not through my orders. And Skyscraper's actions prevented Horde's escape, and Viral's were integral to the mission, despite the death they may have wrought, they were vital to the succesful completion of the mission." "Yet you left them behind." "If I had not, then your mission ''would ''have failed. If I had remained, then I would have been captured by the heroes, along with the others, most likely. Perhaps not, but I chose to stick to the mission, as you had so requested." "And yet you have left a very large trail of breadcumbs." "Not to you, Mr Rook." "Not yet, unless one of the captives confesses to who I am. Please understand, the GSPD has the details of my past history, they know who I truly am, my guises, and locations I might chose, what I own. All they need is the name Rook, and their quest to find me will be considerably easy." "Surely a man like you has a lot of hiding places", Inquisitor sits again. "Once upon a time, but after my capture in Titan City and association with the Tyrants, after my crimes were proven, it had rather a... negative effect of my resources and stakeholdings. I have managed to acquire some small things" he gestures at his penthouse "from using alternate aliases and through my extensive financial contacts over the last four years, but, I do not hold that I will hide from the GSPD for long once they know Rook is active again." "You knew there was risk here, it seems you are stranger to the superhuman world. Even with a simple mission to acquire information, you knew there would be complications. But regardless, I have your information... would you like to hear it?" Rook walks to the balcony door and opens it and says "In private." "You do not trust the other two?" Inquisitor says as they stand on the balcony, overlooking Vatican City. "Texas Holdem has been an important associate of mine for a long time and has my trust, as much as anyone can have it. Also, he reccomended to me the other agents for this mission, having worked with each of them in the past. However, this information is not needed to be known by more than myself, and the person who has acquired it. So." "Planet Titan's Witch Doctor bound this Vesuvius into the volcano after which he takes his name. He cast some kind of ritual, I suppose, 'magic', you would call it..." "Do not scoff. I myself dabble in the mystical arts from time to time. Go on." "He called forth some gigantic creature, miles high, of stone, calling itself the Spirit of the Mountain. It cast Vesuvius into the mountain, and apparently he cannot leave." "A binding spell." "If that is what you call it." Rook relaxes a little. "Excellent. With time, all spells can be broken." Inquisitor raises an eyebrow. "With respect, why would you wish to release it. The world is safer with it where it is. I know. It nearly killed me. And could have destroyed all of Naples." "An act of destruction which led you to try and acquire it into your own team at the time." Inquisitor raises his hands. "Roboticus Caesar's idea. And a mistake." "Not one I will make. You attempted to control it, to bargain with it. I shall not. I have learned in my long life that bargains are more trouble than they are worth." He looks down at the palms of his hands. "So, you will simply release it. You hope it will be grateful for its freedom. Rather than bargain, you will show it kindness, and hope for something in return?" "No. It simply needs to be free." "Why? It will cause random havoc and destruction. Vesuvius lives simply for that... it is not so dissimilar to its namesake." "Exactly. Vesuvius is a powerful, animate force of nature, when free, from what I gather, capable of going where it pleases through the Earth. It will keep the GSPD very busy. I regret the lives it may end, but, in the end, I would save more than I end." Inquisitor folds his arms. "And how do you plan to save lives by releasing a living weapon of mass destruction?" "Vesuvius will be merely a distraction while I carry on my business." Inquisitor relaxes his hands. "Then release it now, and should the GSPD learn of your name in association with what happened to Miss Adler, then, they may have other things to worry about, as you say." "No, if they learn my name, and then I release him, due to his magical entrapment, and their knowledge of my skills, which, on the arcane side of things, are not so common in the criminal world, they will likely connect the events." "So, you do not wish Skyscraper, Grapplor and the unaccounted Viral to whisper your name to the higher powers?" he grins. "It is good then, that you have the Inquisitor in your service." The comic cuts back into the penthouse room, as all four of the supercriminals sit together once again, Rook back behind his desk. "I do not want either of them killed. There has been enough death, and there will be more, so I will not allow it where it is unnecesary." "So what, we jailbreak 'em?" says Kestrel with a sceptical look. "Grapplor is currently in a hospital. He should be easier to free," "Not to transport. Man's paralysed!" Kestrel exclaims. "Gonna be hell leaving him like that. Be kinder to kill the Mexican", says Holdem. "Be glad too", says Kestrel. "What? I don't like Mexicans." "You mean you don' like nobody that ain't white..." says Holdem. "Screw you, texan." "Thats ''Texas." Inquisitor slams his mailed hands on the table. "Silence!" "Thank you, Inquisitor" says Rook. "I am aware of the difficulty of releasing such a man. Which is why we cure the man as we free him." "Don' be knowin' o' any healers on our side o' the coin, Rook. But then knowin' people is your thing." Texas looks more interested in Rook's line of thinking than skeptical. "It is true, the method of healing I have in mind, is... unusual. Not technically healing at all. In fact, I must admit, it is something of a gamble, but with my name at stake, now is the time for gambles, though it is a considered gamble." Inquisitor leans forward. "What gamble did you have in mind?" "I know you are familiar from personal experience with Nullifier, I therefore assume you are familiar with its sister judge, Surge?" "Yes. Makes lives for people like us even harder with the increase in superhumans." Rook stands and turns his back to them to look out the window. "Well, I have been doing extensive research into it, in hope that it might solve a... problem of mine. There is a link between those superbeings created by Surge, along with those who surface both 'naturally' or through some kind of accident. And those mutated by the effects of Prime Ape's own Genetic Gas in fact, which I think, the original, more unstable Surge drug created by one Doctor Graham Stevens, was based upon. All of those mutated by any of these sources have their powers birthed in one of three ways. The first manner of mutation, one most common back in the 60s and 70s, was mutation through a physical catalyst. For example, a man exposed to enough radiation would either die instantly or eventually, but a man with some chemical for mutation with him would instead be transformed by catalyst, quite likely acquiring some ability to generate, absorb or manipulate radiation, or undergoing some form of physical alteration. The second manner of mutation, is a mental catalyst, generally a trauma of some kind. A man who has witnessed his family killed, for example, with the capacity for mutation, may have his catalyst then. The scope for mutation in such cases would be much wider in possible results, as such a man may gain the power to kill those men, but that could manifest itself in an almost incalculable variety of ways. The third catalyst is less specific again, but instant upon exposure to a mutative substance. In this case, the person gains a mutation appropriate to them somehow, be it their way of life, especially a repetitive one, or a particular pattern of thought or distinctive personality trait. For example, a man who has been paralysed from the neck down, I assume, would do little other than wish to free of that handicap." "Or wish for death. Ya might kill tha' guy", says Holdem. "Hence, this being a gamble." "So hang on... you want us to steal you some Surge, on the off chance Grapplor might wish to get a working spine back?" says American Kestrel, incredulous. "That is correct." "And if that fails? Then what?" "Texas is still capable of teleporting him out of there, and you of flight. And if our gamble with Surge does not work, then we still have access to Surge itself." "Enhancing our own powers would ensure success in any more missions. Since you mentioned your business Rook, I assumed it would need our continued... protection? Assistance?" says Inquisitor. "All right. If we're still gettin' paid for the mission we did, as well as this one, and I get a free pop o' Surge out of this, I'm in", says American Kestrel. "Ya always bring me good business", says Texas Holdem. "And I assume, once these missions are done, we will furthering your other plans, and considering what chaos that might cause for Planet Titan and their ilk... you have my sword, sir" says Inquisitor. Rook turns round and smiles. "Technically, it is my sword." "So, how we gonna get our hands on this Surge?" asks American Kestrel. "The chemical itself is produced in a laboratory of a currently unknown location in Britain. However, the chemical is sent to Highport on the Cornwall south coast, the Titans little replacement for Titan City after they decided to quarantine it, where it is given to human GSPD trainees that pass their testing and our cleared for duty." "I assume we hijack it somewhere on the way but far enough from Highport so we don't get the ''real ''Team Titan on our asses?" asks Holdem. "Oh trust me, the ''real ''Team Titan is long past its glory days. However, Prometheus Base does still house between one and three Team Titan squads within it, along with several other super-powered members of staff, so you are correct, dealing with the convoy the furthest from Highport that we can, would be wise. The security van which transports the Surge comes out of London, so once it is in the countryside again, that is where we deal with it." "Just one van?" Kestrel asks. "Yes, but with considerable security... obviously, the substance is too important to not be guarded substantially, and a significant quantity can be transported in one batch, which means deliveries are not common, and so can have the best guards." "You talkin' heroes, aren't ya, Rook?" "Highport is important enough, that, though far smaller than Titan City ever was, it maintains its own team to defend it. The rest of the British Isles, like other UN nations, has its own team. Due to the rarity of the transport, it at least has some of Team Titan UK to defend it." "Since Inquisitor made us pull out on half of our last team, and we had enough of a time with just one powered girl, one ex-villain with one only one spell, and some flunkies, how are you expecting the three o' of us to deal with half, and maybe a whole, super-squad?" Kestrel asks, ever the skeptic. "Again, there is no need for a throwdown. In fact, it just requires Texas to teleport in and out. If we have one vial of Surge for Grapplor, that will be sufficient for mission completion. Anything else, a bonus." "Wouldn't be my first solo mission", says Texas Holdem. "Ah just need to see the transport, then ah can hop in and out, yicketty split. In fact, ah can do both halves of the mission myself. Just need to get the Surge, then time travel back a few weeks and I can work out where Grapplor is gonna be put after his 'accident' before he gets there, and be ready to give him his medicine." "So where's that leave me an' the Blind Swordsman, here?" asks Kestrel. Inquisitor stands. "Somebody must let loose the Skyscraper, of course." "You know she's gonna be darn mad with you, right?" "Worry not, I am used to fiery women." Inquisitor draws his sword and smiles. End of issue. "